Journey of Light
by firewolfsg
Summary: The life journey of Kou, 光. Warnings: adult themes, past drug use and child prostitution. Shounen Ai / Yaoi, Shuuei/Kouyuu. New Chap 19: Perversions, Plots, Perils and Politics: Shuurei mulls over her friends' fate and the politics of the Saiunkoku Court.
1. Protective Instincts

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale.  
This Flash Fic was prompted into existince by the Week 1 challenge on the Saiun Challenge LJ too.  
But I entered Gifts and Motives instead. Word Count: 300 Words

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**Protective Instincts**  
By firewolf  
May 2008

The ungrateful brat didn't come easily, but Reishin could forgive his resistance. He recognized the fear in Kou's eyes and seethed uselessly in his thoughts of the ones who put it there.

The boy struggled harder when he saw the carriage, but he calmed once Reishin threw open the door to show him the fevered Youri. After that, Reishin managed to coax Kou into the carriage without incident. However, when they proceeded with their journey, Kou moved to kneel at Reishin's feet.

So surprised was he, Reishin almost moved too late to catch Kou's wrist. "Boy, I have taken you from the mountains making you mine, but you must never do this again." Reishin told Kou firmly as he dragged the small hand from beneath his robes.

"But-- it is the one thing I am good at."

"We will find other things that you can do for me." Reishin snarled, angry at the thought of how Kou could have come to possess this knowledge and expertise. He made up his mind then and there that the boy would have his protection as an adopted son.

"If anyone ever approaches you to ask for this-- 'service,' you will refuse and report directly to me. Do you understand me, boy?"

"What would you have me do then to earn my keep, Sir?"

"My companion is ill, Kou. You can help me care for her."

In the dormitories, Shuuei once woke Kouyuu from a nightmare by grabbing his arm. The older boy clearly recognized the flicker of terror in his eyes before it faded into the customary look of annoyance.

Shuuei had a healthy imagination. He also remembered the long ago gossip of Reishin and the son he rescued from the mountains.

This incident sparked the protective streak within Shuuei for his friend.

owari

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	2. Addictions

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale.  
Written when I was still limiting myself to 300 Words fics.

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**Addictions**  
By firewolf  
May 2008

Kou Reishin hadn't known one of his staff was an opium addict. After all, he was hardly interested in the personal life of his servants and retainers. However, he did notice when he stumbled upon Kou on the streets running an ingenious little lottery.

It came out then that the boy recognized the servant's addiction when they met. And the man sold him 'sweets' at a bargain.

Reishin refused to recognize the man's frantic claims that the boy was an addict before they met. Kou tried to speak in the man's defense and told Reishin that he was normally all right when his past owners gave him sweets before they'd play with him. The servant was practically crying in his denial that he had ever attempted to 'play' with Kou.

Fortunately, Youri hime was fully recovered from her brief illness, so she kept Kou away from the drama surrounding Reishin's disciplinary action and sat with the boy through opium withdrawal. She also drummed it into his head that opium was not a sweet, that it was not all right to take it, and that it was the drug which was responsible for how rotten he felt then.

Youri was glad Kou was too sick and miserable to worry about the fate of his 'sweets purveyor' because Reishin had too active an imagination. And he (unfairly) pinned on the man all his anger and fury for the abuse heaped upon Kou by his unknown previous owners. At the least, Reishin had the sense to have the man moved to where his screams couldn't drift back to reach Kou's ears.

Kou's family happily discovered later that the boy, once free of the opium addiction, truly had a brilliant mind starving for knowledge. Reishin gladly and generously fed Kou's new addiction to books.

owari

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Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	3. Forgotten Beginnings

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale.

This Flash Fic was also written with a Word count of 300

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**Forgotten Beginnings**  
By firewolf  
May 2008

With the episode of Kou's opium addiction long in the past, Reishin and Youri were relieved to discover that Kou's memories of his childhood as a slave practically disappeared as well. It seemed he couldn't even recall how they really met.

In spite of the cause, Reishin was impressed with Kou for his street lottery efforts. So he delicately reinforced this incident as their first meeting to Kou.

However, Reishin made Youri quite furious with him when he also accidentally implied that he took Kou off the streets because he wanted to imitate his elder brother's adoption of Seiran. Unfortunately, the damage was done, but Youri was placated with the thought that this traumatic revelation was a 'safer' excuse for Kou's inherent insecurity than his memories as a child prostitute.

Before Ran Shuuei could attempt to start an affair with his best friend Li Kouyuu, Kouyuu's mother called him to a secret meeting. The General (his rank earned a second time) was to discover that Youri hime was as sublimely scary as Reishin dono and even more fiercely protective of her son. She certainly dared him to protest when they moved to discuss at length his unsavory reputation regarding the red light district and his previous unrequited crushes.

Youri was impressed enough to assure Shuuei of her blessings, and support in keeping her husband from sending assassins.

Despite the hair-rising experience, Shuuei was grateful he ran the gauntlet. It only strengthen his confidence that he really wanted to move beyond their rather volatile though comfortable friendship.

However, Shuuei also knew that this was probably the easier obstacle. Now he had to convince Kouyuu as well and Youri refused to share any details of Kouyuu's childhood which could explain why he was so terrified of any attempt at close proximity.

owari

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Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	4. To Kindness Blind

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale  
This fic was written out of sequence for Saiun Challenge's Week 9 Prompt.  
However, I missed the submission date because of Real Life scheduling :(  
Prompt: Blind. Word Count: 300 Words.

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**To Kindness, Blind**  
By firewolf  
July 2008

Contrary to Reishin sama and Yuri Hime's belief, Kou hadn't forgotten how he came to join their household. But he let them think he couldn't remembered being brought down the mountains by Reishin sama.

Kou thought he understood why they wanted to pretend they had found him on the streets. He supposed that they wanted to pretend he wasn't a bit of discarded trash, but a streetwise little entrepreneur instead. It was certainly less shameful to let others think he was a street kid surviving on his wits rather than an unwanted slave who was also an opium addict. Kou just thought he owed it to them to indulge their little fantasy and save them from embarrassment when speaking about him to their acquaintances.

Still, at the end of the day, Kou had been rather proud of the little street lottery he managed to run for a couple of weeks for funds to buy his 'sweets'. He thought Reishin sama had been impressed too. However, the abject misery and humiliation over the truth of what his 'sweets' actually were made Kou want to forget the whole affair. Reishin sama and Yuri Hime had really been kind to him so far despite the troubles he brought to them, but Kou knew their patience would eventually run out.

He remembered Reishin sama mention taking him in to imitate his elder brother's adoption of another boy. And Kou was wise enough to know that decisions made on a whim never produced lasting results.

So every night when Yuri Hime tucked him in bed as if he was their child, Kou would make a wish that they wouldn't tire of him too soon. They were the nicest and least demanding of his owners so far. And Kou liked pretending to be a normal boy.

owari

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Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	5. Promises Made

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale  
Submitted to Saiun Challenge's Week 10 Prompt. Word Count: +250 Words and won Second Place.

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**Promises Made**  
By firewolf  
July 2008

"'Oh?' Is that all you have to say?" Reishin stared down at Kou who looked away, refusing to meet his eyes.

He knew that he was unused to children, but Reishin thought he remembered enough about being a child to think the boy would be more excited about the prospect of visiting the city. He could fondly remember visits to the city tagging along with his beloved Aniue as they visited the shops and enjoyed the games and food at the quarterly festival. He would be so jealous of the time spent with Shou Aniue, he'd sometimes trick Kurou into staying behind, just so he could monopolise his Aniue's time.

Kou, however, reacted as if it was the end of the world. And Reishin knew deep down that this was not natural.

"Kou?"

Reishin gritted his teeth and knelt on one knee to bring himself down to the boy's level. But he was glad that he had done this otherwise he would not have noticed the tears rolling down the boy's face. He immediately understood then that the boy didn't associate a visit to the city in the same way he did.

"Kou? What is it? What are you expecting me to do with you?" Reishin could not help asking this question though he could guess what the answer might be.

"I—I thought—I was useful—I was hoping—you wouldn't think of—of selling me so soon." The boy sobbed softly. "But—I guess—I guess—you don't need me around anymore."

Though he was expecting that answer, Reishin still could not stop himself from reacting strongly at the suggestion. His hands reached out to grip Kou around his arms fiercely. "Never think that. Never suggest again that I will rid myself of you, Kou.

"You are mine, and what I consider mine I do not give away nor sell. What I consider mine, Kou, I keep."

The boy stared stunned at him through his tears. And in his eyes, Reishin could see a tiny spark of hope. But there was still fear dominating those eyes, a lingering doubt which Reishin knew made the boy afraid to believe.

In a move which surprised even him, Reishin flicked free an inner sleeve to gently wipe the tears from Kou's face. "Come, Kou. Yuri has a carriage waiting for us. "

Through their entire visit in the city, Reishin refused to release Kou's hand as they moved from store to store. Yuri noticed of course, but she just smiled as she walked with them and accepted Reishin's wallet to pay for the purchases they made at the shops without making any remarks.

As the hours passed, Kou started to relax, especially when both Reishin and Yuri would share with him sweet meats and treats they'd find at the festive stores. Reishin knew the moment he finally won Kou over when the boy's face lit up to be handed a ring of multi-coloured paper fans on a stick. He reflected belatedly then, that this could possibly be the first frivolous toy Kou had ever been given.

Thereafter, Reishin could feel Kou's tiny hand clinging as fiercely to his. Reishin knew that Kou would never bring up the subject of being sold ever again. But to cement this, he was going to give the boy a proper name.

When they returned to the manor, Reishin would begin his research. Hopefully, he'd be able to find something suitable before the festival was over. Then they could visit the city again for a celebration to firm Kou's position as their recognised son.

owari

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Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	6. Wishful Destinies

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale  
Submitted to Saiun Challenge's Week 11 Prompt. Word Count: 200 Words and won First place.

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**Wishful Destinies**  
By firewolf  
July 2008

Reishin was already set on using 'Yuu' - the flowing river, in his son's name. And he had been so very tempted to give his son a completely new name to eliminate all reminders of the child's past. However, Reishin knew Kou should keep this one thing that he owned which had no relation to his past owners.

For 'Kou', however, Reishin found himself drawn to a particular character no matter which dictionary he picked up in his library's extensive collection. And he had to reflect that perhaps it's meaning of 'red' harkened to an inner longing that Kou really was his by blood.

The family name though...

Reishin rejected the 'Kou' of his family. He would be damned if he'd name his son with words reflecting freedom then shackle him to lifelong servitude to the Clan he hated but was forced to lead. He knew his son didn't need the name and would be a great man by his own merits, but what then--?

A flutter from the periphery of his vision brought Reishin's attention to the plum tree outside his window. A smile pulled on Reishin's lips as he counted the strokes of the new name.

"Perfect."

owari

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Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	7. Avoidance Measures

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale  
Submitted to Saiun Challenge's Week 6 Prompt. Word Count: 300 Words and won joint Third Place.

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**Avoidance Measures**  
By firewolf  
June 2008

Reishin never told Yuri his true reasons for moving Kouyuu to Kiyou over her objections that he couldn't be trusted to raise the boy alone. She thought it inadvisable since Kouyuu had an obsessive desire to please him. This was understandable given the boy's history of being sold whenever his owners tired of or had no more use of him. However, Reishin thought Kouyuu would out grow this once he became confident of his permanence in their lives.

Yuri had little doubt Reishin loved and was very proud of their son since Kouyuu was astoundingly gifted and intelligent. Her husband practically spoiled the boy with gifts of books and the best tutors he could find. She never heard, however, that the music tutor approached Reishin to prohibit Kouyuu from playing the flute. And Reishin agreed because Kouyuu unconsciously injected an unsettling quality to any music he played with the flute.

Reishin also kept from her an evening incident during a street festival when a florist was freely giving away his unsold merchandise and offered them a droopy rose. Enchanted, Kouyuu accepted the rose and restored it to newly plucked freshness. Fortunately, no one noticed nor understood why the man raced away from them screaming.

After that event, Reishin brought Kouyuu with him to Kiyou, determined to shield his son within the magic dampening borders of the capital city.

Even if Kouyuu was originally of the Hyou clan, Reishin swore that they rightly delivered him into his keeping through the two thieving finches, which promptly disappeared when they alighted on the boy's shoulder with Yuri's handkerchief. That clan lost all rights to even associate with his son when they abandoned him to the slavers. And Reishin was damned if he'd risk having Kouyuu attract their attention and try to reclaim him.

owari

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Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	8. Flutter of Wings

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale.

This Flash Fic was written for the Week 3: Challenge taking place on the Saiun Challenge LJ.  
Word Count: 250 Words.

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**A Flutter of Wings**  
By firewolf  
May 2008

Kouyuu had few memories of the time before he entered the Kou household. Reishin and Youri persisted in telling their adopted son that Reishin sama discovered him on the streets running an ingenious street lottery. However, although Kouyuu had some memory of organising the materials to run such a 'business', he always thought that first purported meeting didn't sound quite right.

One persistent memory Kouyuu had was the sound of a flutter of wings. However, his connection to this memory stayed ever elusive. Kouyuu would never have imagined that in a time long forgotten, a flutter of wings once herald for Kou a welcome to a safe haven, or a sending on his way, back to the waking world.

In dreams, Kouyuu would relived the day a flutter of wings brought a familiar mountain god who rescued him from the cold. Sometimes, he'd see the source of this sound; white and pied finches, which he recognized as the guardians of his haven, who kept him safe and watched over him.

Unfortunately, though Kouyuu remembered in his dreams, he always forgot when he woke.

As he grew older, Kouyuu dreamed of this haven less and less until eventually he no longer remembered the significance of a flutter of wings even in his dreams. Fortunately, by then Kouyuu found another haven in the company of a best friend, who was a General in the imperial army and someone perfectly capable of offering Kouyuu love and protection from those who might harm him.

owari

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Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	9. Anticipating the Day

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale  
Submitted to the Saiunkoku Fic LJ's Fic Battle  
Prompt 24) Kouyuu. On the eve of his national examination

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Anticipating the Day  
By firewolf  
September 2008

Tomorrow would be the moment of truth for him and all the other candidates in the student dormitories. Kouyuu was too excited to sleep, but he knew he needed to rest in order to perform well. Shuuei had certainly taken that advice and was now breathing quite deeply in his ear.

In the early days when he'd first arrived to stay in the dormitories surrounded by strangers, Kouyuu had been wracked by fears and nightmares to be so far away from Reishin sama and Yuri Hime. Fortunately, he still remembered his childhood tricks of coping and managed not to disturb his dorm mates. Shuuei, however, was more observant than he'd earlier credited him with. And Kouyuu was to wake from his first restful sleep in weeks to find the other boy comfortably wrapped around him.

Shuuei had never questioned Kouyuu about his nightmares, and easily brushed away Kouyuu's shy protests. And unaccountably, Kouyuu did feel safe with the older boy. However, he still wasn't quite sure why they came to stay gravitate to this position where his 'new best friend' would wrap him in his arms at night to sleep when he'd already gotten over the nightmares these last few weeks.

Kouyuu would admit that he really didn't understand Ran Shuuei. He knew from gossip among the other candidates that the boy was under a tremendous amount of pressure from his clan. With three exceptionally talented older brothers and a younger brother who had been proclaimed the clan genius, Ran Ryuuren, Shuuei was under incredible pressure to do well.

This was very much unlike Kouyuu who would reluctantly admit that this was one of the very few times he was glad Reishin sama didn't give him the Kou name. Under a common name of 'Li', he'd been largely ignored as a young scholar sent by a merchant class family to sit the imperial exams. Any pressure Kouyuu felt for doing well, he had placed upon himself.

Reishin sama and Yuri Hime hadn't wanted him to take the exams so early. They hastily assured him it wasn't because they thought he couldn't handle the exams, but because they thought him too young to stay away from home without them. Kouyuu, however, was impatient to take the exams so that he could start paying Reishin sama back for rescuing him from slavery. He wanted to proudly serve the man.

It had saddened Kouyuu to realise his friend had little more goals regarding the exams than fulfilling clan expectations. And even then, the moment he had met Kouyuu, Shuuei had known he wasn't going to graduate as Jorgen. Yet the older boy hadn't resented him. In fact, Shuuei had immediately claimed Kouyuu as a studying partner and companion and helped Kouyuu keep his low profile so as not to draw the attentions of the more arrogant candidates. To be fair, Kouyuu quite enjoyed studying with Shuuei. He had never had a study companion before and the joy of sharing knowledge and occasionally tutoring his slightly weaker friend helped Kouyuu to forget his discomfort over staying with strangers and away from home.

Only the instructors recognized the quiet talent of the two boys, and they kindly let them drift through their lessons unremarked and far from the loud attentions of the boastful bullies. Shuuei had the confidence to be quite excited about the upset the two of them were going to cause when the results were finally revealed.

"Kouyuu, stop thinking about tomorrow and go to sleep." Shuuei startled him with the whisper in his ear.

"I thought you were sleeping?"

"You think too loud." Kouyuu could practically hear the smile in his words. "It's a big day tomorrow, go-- to-- sleep..."

Kouyuu smiled as he felt the older boy relaxing into slumber again. Yes, it was a big day. And if he could just fall asleep too, he'd greet-- it all-- the-- faste--

owari

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Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	10. Observations New Shinshi

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale  
Submitted to the Saiunkoku Fic LJ's Fic Battle  
Prompt 56) You-Shuu realising that Kouyuu's past is a lot more difficult than he first assumed. Gen or slash

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Observations of a New Shinshi  
By firewolf  
September 2008

Youshuu rather thought Li Kouyuu was an interesting Shinshi. Despite graduating as Jorgen, and at 16 the youngest yet to do so since the imperial exams came into practice, he had none of the arrogance or pride Youshuu might have expected of a boy who was a lifelong scholar. The boy didn't even blink, nor acted outraged as was usual with the boys in previous years when Official Ro assigned him to clean the stables. In fact, in stark contrast to the Ran boy, who graduated Bougen after him, and who spluttered and obviously wanted to protest the assigned menial labour, Li just nodded with a wry smile of acceptance.

Curiosity made Youshuu unobtrusively check on the boys with the start of their tasks. As he had expected, the Ran boy knew how to handle horses. Youshuu didn't doubt the boy had also been taught how to fight with a sword and would probably enter the military rather than stay in the civil service when his stint as a Shinshi was over. However, Li surprised him. Given his much slighter and more delicate frame, Youshuu thought the boy was raised on books. Yet the horses were clearly more comfortable with him, and he apparently knew how to cajole and bully even the most stubborn stallions into doing his bidding.

Furthermore, he also showed considerable skill with a shovel and pitch fork too. Youshuu thought Li was quite kind to teach his fellow Shinshi how to shovel dung without first laughing when the Ran boy's first attempt had him dumping part of the load on his own shoes.

So... Li wasn't a pampered prince. That made him very unlike most Shinshi. Youshuu thought then that there was a lot more to Li Kouyuu than met the eye. It started Youshuu's habit of quietly checking on this new Shinshi. And he observed that Li wasn't anymore difficult or sullen when he was assigned to clean the lavatories or shine shoes either. However, it didn't take long for Youshuu to begin having misgivings about Li's shoe shining assignment.

It was an open secret that there were a few senior officials in court who had a taste for young boys. Normally they kept their activities confined to the Red Light district. However, during the period when the Shinshi were about, these men also took opportunities wherever it may lie to have their pick of the year's young and innocent newly minted officials.

Every year, Official Ro very careful assigned the plain looking and stronger willed among the Shinshi to these officials. For the most part, he managed to keep an eye out for the prettier and less confident boys to save them from the depredations of these men. However, the Shinshi assigned to more public assignments such as the stables, lavatories and the shoe shining duties were, unfortunately, in a much more vulnerable position.

Normally, the Shinshi assigned these tasks had too much pride and a strong will and therefore weren't in danger from these Court 'dragons.' Unfortunately, it appeared that Li Kouyuu didn't have the temperament to handle unwanted attentions. And while the Ran boy was always around with a handy shovel full of dung or a bucket of dirty water when they were together in the stables or the lavatories, Li was woefully alone when he was on shoe shining duty.

It would not have been quite so bad if Li was plain looking. However, with his unusual aqua coloured hair and mesmerising grey-violet eyes, Youshuu found that even he was not immune to feeling a flutter in his heart to have the boy kneeling at his feet. Having the boy occasionally looking shyly up at him while he shined his shoes seemed to invite whole hosts of inappropriate thoughts.

The situation was in no way comparable to the infamous chaos Kou Kijin caused when he was on shoe shining duty during his Shinshi months. However, Li made Youshuu unaccountably worried for his innocence. And Youshuu found himself making all sorts of excuses to free himself from his usual duties so that he could unobtrusively stand guard over Li whenever he found out the boy was on shoe shining duty.

It eventually came a time when Youshuu thought he should act at last; when a Court dragon decided to make his move on the boy and caught Li by the chin to keep him in place while he whispered a suggestion in his ear. Even from a distance, Youshuu could see the shock in the boy's eyes quickly turn to despair and quiet defeated acceptance. An epiphany struck the man then. An incredible revelation of how and why this quiet scholar could be so skilled with dirty menial labour, and so accepting and submissive to authority figures.

Youshuu would have stepped forward when the Court dragon started dragging Li to his feet with the apparent intention to pull the boy to a quiet corner for some clandestine activity. However, there was someone else also watching over the boy. Youshuu was quite sure that anyone looking at him then would have witnessed his face fill with shock to see Kou Reishin step out of the shadows to touch the Court dragon's shoulder with his fan.

At the Secretary of the Department of Civil Affairs' steely stare, the man quickly unhanded the boy and found an excuse to be elsewhere fast, leaving Li standing alone before Kou Reishin. And Youshuu found himself surprised again when Reishin reached a hand over to pet Li's head as he spoke softly to the boy; saying something which made Li's eyes light up with relief and a brief spark of hero worship. Then it was quickly gone and Li was picking up and settling his tools again to shine Kou Reishin's shoes as if nothing untoward had just happened.

Youshuu never knew what Reishin said to Li then, but it apparently lit a spark of confidence in the boy to give him a sterner backbone against inappropriate overtures. The Court dragons quickly learned to leave the boy alone after that. But Youshuu also thought the sentiment was greatly helped along by the rather significant disappearance of the official who accosted the boy and was interrupted by Kou Reishin.

And the reasons why the Secretary of the Department of Civil Affairs had an interest in this Shinshi eventually made its rounds in court too; that though Kou Reishin gave a surname of 'Li' to the boy, Kouyuu was his adopted son. No one dared try anything inappropriate or remotely threatening against the boy after word spread.

This bit of information about Kou Reishin greatly surprised Youshuu. He hadn't thought his boss had it in him to take in and offer love and protection to a little boy. And while Youshuu didn't feel a need to try and covertly guard the boy anymore, his interest in Li Kouyuu's growth and future had grown tenfold. He felt that the boy must be special indeed to have evoked true emotion from the normally lackadaisical Kou Reishin.

owari

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	11. Dragon's Blessings

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale  
Submitted to the Saiunkoku Fic LJ's Fic Battle

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Prompt 71) Shuuei/Kouyuu + Ryuuren. Ryuuren decides to put Kouyuu through a series of tests to see whether he deserves Shuuei  
By firewolf  
September 2008

For all of his airs and eccentricity, Ran Ryuuren did love his brothers. Shuuei especially held a special place in his heart for always defaulting to treat him like a younger brother when all others saw his title alone. Sometimes, it seemed to Ryuuren that no one remembered him without the title.

So it suited Ryuuren that he guest at Li Kouyuu's home when he arrived in Kiyou. As widely as he had wandered, even the far reaches of Saiunkoku received word of the Emperor's twin flowers and Ryuuren wanted to check out this 'partner' to his brother.

As tests went, Li passed the first for letting Shuuei persuade him to put up Ryuuren in the first place. And once at his home, Li surprised him by having the servants lead them to his suites then offering Ryuuren his own bed. Given the fact Li lived at the huge Kou mansion with the esteemed Head of the Kou clan, Ryuuren thought he would have tried to foist him off on servants or attempted to tuck him away in the most remote part of their estates possible. Instead, Li was bravely taking responsibility for Ryuuren's disruptive behaviour and attempting to contain and prevent him from disturbing the rest of the Kou household.

Well, in that endeavour, Ryuuren would oblige him. Little known to others, he could control the dragon flute given to him such that only selected targets heard his songs. He had half wondered and hoped Li could hear the under tones of the flute which wrapped around and seemingly transformed the cacophony most heard into the haunting melodies he loved. Ryuuren was tired of not being able to share this music with anyone. Unfortunately, Li was apparently deaf to Ryuuren's music. Oh well, three out of two wasn't so bad. His music would comfort him for the time being--

The dragon flute was snatched from his lips before Ryuuren could finish that thought. To his great surprise, Li Kouyuu was kneeling before him and holding the heavy instrument easily.

"I am not normally this harsh, but that was the most god awful playing I've ever come across!" The scholar snarled at him. "I was told I had little talent with the flute, but I think even I can do better." With that declaration, Li raised the Dragon flute to his lips and started to play.

Ran Ryuuren had never been shocked speechless in his life, but this did it. If Ryuuren ever wondered about the origins of the boy the head of the Kou clan adopted, he knew now. The question which currently filled his mind, however, was if Kouyuu was a direct descendant of the flute's craftsman or from an offshoot.

Li played Ryuuren's tunes back to him with a finesse and elegance which took his breath away. Furthermore, he played such that others would hear the normal range of notes weaved into the sub tonal music Ryuuren so loved. Li had even unconsciously tapped into the magic of the dragon flute which caused the sounds he produced to be heard solely by Ryuuren.

With the last breathtaking notes fading into the night, Li lowered the flute and impatiently shoved it into Ryuuren's hands. "And that is how you should play it."

He felt compelled to offer it back. "This should belong to you."

"Don't be ridiculous. The Dragon flute is an heirloom of the Rans."

"But--"

Bloodshot eyes glared at him. And Ryuuren suddenly saw an image of an old man wearing robes embroidered with dragons standing at the shoulder of the aqua haired scholar, and he knew then that Li Kouyuu was a direct descendant of the flute's maker. On reflex, Ryuuren clutched the Dragon flute to his chest and the ancient spirit smiled at him.

"Go. To. Bed. Ryuuren." Li growled the words at him as the image faded from his sight. So for the first time since he began his travels, Ryuuren listened and obeyed.

Ran Ryuuren had no further concerns regarding the worthiness of Li Kouyuu as his brother's counterpart. He further thought that his Shuu-Aniue needed to deserve this one.

owari

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Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf

Back to The Library


	12. Gifts and Motives

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale.

This Flash Fic was written for the Week 1: Challenge taking place on the Saiun Challenge LJ.  
Word Count: 300 Words. I won joint first place in that challenge.

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**Gifts and Motives**  
By firewolf  
May 2008

"She's what?" Kouyuu stared from the white wolf pup, deposited on his lap, to his uncle.

"Your guard dog--wolf." Shouka corrected himself smoothly as he thought of the original accompanying message.

'I did not raise Kouyuu for the Kou's nor for the Ran's, disinherited or not.'

"Your father heard about your refusal of a bodyguard."

Kouyuu spluttered in outrage. Having Seiran and Shuuei constantly hovering was annoying enough, but this--? He looked dubiously at the cute pup staring adoringly up at him.

"Shiro!" Little white ears perked to attention as the pup turned towards Shouka.

"Guard." The tiny wolf instantly adopted a stance of alertness, its eyes sweeping the area to scan their surroundings for enemies.

In spite of himself, Kouyuu was impressed. More so when the pup started growling before the humans noticed the approach of visitors.

Shouka lifted a foot to casually block the pup from attacking the Prime Minister and his guards. "Friend, Shiro. Stand down."

Yuushun started laughing as he watched the wolf pup return to his aide and put its paws on his knees. Predictably, Kouyuu wasn't resistant to the pup's blatant request for affection.

"It appears your position as attention and affection seeker has been usurped." Seiran smiled teasingly at the frowning Shuuei.

"Reishin-dono sent this to guard his son?" Shuuei wasn't impressed.

"At least she'll be quiet and less disruptive than some others." Kouyuu shot back before giving Shiro a last scratch and pushing her off his lap.

Wolf pup and demoted general immediately started sizing each other up. Still, her action of approaching and pissing on Shuuei's boots surprised them all.

Shouka, Seiren and Yuushun observed the laughing Kouyuu, the yelling Shuuei and the totally unrepentant pup, and exchanged meaningful glances. This looked like the beginning of an interesting relationship.

owari

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	13. Adjustments and New Partnerships

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale.

Another flash fic with a Word Count of 300 Words

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**Adjustments and New Partnerships**  
By firewolf  
May 2008

In the beginning, Kouyuu had been far from amused with his father's gift. He justifiably felt highly embarrassed the first few times Shiro accompanied him around the court.

But, he adjusted. After all, she stopped him from getting lost. And the snickers which used to follow in his wake eventually subsided when it became a common sight; this scene of the Prime Minister's Aide being pulled along by a little white wolf who had taken the end of one of his long belts in her mouth like a lead.

That tiny bit of inorganic separation was Shuuei's only comfort. After all, when he had been the one to find the frequently lost Kouyuu and bring him to his intended destinations, Kouyuu would allow him to take his hand.

In spite of himself, Shuuei was grateful that Shiro took the duties of guarding Kouyuu very seriously. At the least, she significantly cut down the numbers of rabid fathers who'd try to ambush his lov-- friend with marriage proposals.

As the Prime Minister's Aide, Kouyuu's 'worth' as a son in law had risen a hundred fold. However, with Shiro as a physical obstacle, and Reishin as Kouyuu's equally staunch official obstacle, the aspiring father in laws were seriously thwarted in their pursuit.

Shiro was distinctly unimpressed and disdainful of these sycophants, and in this Shuuei was happy to be a conspirator with the wolf pup. Kouyuu was just glad that his best friend and his guard wolf were finally getting along.

It never crossed Kouyuu's mind to suspect that Shuuei was secretly teaching Shiro to accept 'marriage proposal' as one of her command words for 'attack and chase'.

Shouka knew, of course, since Shiro's training was mainly his responsibility. But he allowed the conspiracy. After all, he thought Kouyuu deserved some peace.

owari

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	14. Mending Partnerships

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale  
Submitted to the Saiunkoku Fic LJ's Fic Battle

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Prompt 99) You-Shuu/Kouyuu, picking up the pieces. Post volume 13  
Mending Partnerships  
By firewolf  
September 2008

As the emperor's court got used to seeing the Prime Minister's Aide being led around by his white wolf, they also came to notice and recognize the clickey-click sounds that was a wolf's nails on tiles. Hearing this approaching sound, Youshuu looked up from the huge backlog of work still surrounding him to see Li Kouyuu entering the Department of Civil Affairs with the latest load of finished reports.

"Youshuu sama." Kouyuu nodded to him as he placed the pile on a newly cleared space on Youshuu's desk.

An unexpected pain gripped the older man's heart to have Kouyuu speaking so softly and shyly to him yet again. And in that instance Youshuu felt regret for his actions in having caused Kouyuu's arrest crushing him.

"Kouyuu…" He said his name so softly the younger man couldn't have heard it. But Shiro did, and the little white wolf pup looked at Youshuu curiously, drawing her master's attention back to him.

"Kouyuu." Youshuu spoke more firmly as he rose to his feet to approach the younger man. "Thank you. I know you didn't need to agree to take part of this workload once more now that you're working at the Prime Minister's office."

The aqua haired scholar looked down as if suddenly shy for the older man's scrutiny. "I enjoyed the work when it was my responsibility. I—I'm sorry to have disappoin—"

Youshuu's finger covered his lips to stop the recrimination. "That is the past, Kouyuu. And you did eventually make the painful decision to rise above that sole obstacle which was forever holding you back from your full potential."

"Youshuu sama—"

"No, Kouyuu. Please—do not use the honorific for me." Youshuu cut him off firmly. "I want it very much for us to truly stand as equals. So hurry—and catch up with me."

Kouyuu's stunned grey-violet eyes soon filled with wonder and elation, filling Youshuu's heart equally with gladness for the younger man's willingness and determination to meet his challenge. "Don't make me wait too long."

"I shan't—Youshuu. Watch me."

"Don't doubt that I will, Kouyuu. Don't doubt that I will."

owari

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf

Back to The Library


	15. Protective Instincts Thwarted

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale.

* * *

**Protective Instincts Thwarted**  
By firewolf  
June 2008

Shi Seiran was never quite comfortable in the presence of Li Kouyuu.

Kouyuu may have thought it was awkwardness because they were both taken into their respective households at approximately the same time though never introduced despite their 'adopted' status as cousins, but Seiran felt it was not the same. And the older man told himself that his discomfort was also not over misplaced guilt since he was openly loved by Shouka sama and his family, whereas Reishin dono's love for his son was not as demonstrative.

It was not envy or jealousy.

As a member of a not so prominent branch of the same family, Seiran never had to deal with the rumours and gossip which surrounded Kouyuu for his adoption by the head of the Kou clan. Neither was Seiran confronted with hurtful tales that he was taken in only because his father was imitating the actions of his beloved elder brother who had adopted a stray some months earlier.

It was not pity. The very idea was absurd.

Until Eigetsu arrived in court, Kouyuu had held the record of being the youngest official to graduate as Jougen in the national exams at age 16. Even with his record broken by the 13 year old, Kouyuu's fame did not diminish. While it was acknowledged that Eigetsu's achievement was born of hard work and determination, Kouyuu, on the other hand, was recognised as a true genius on par with Ran Ryuuen, without the younger man's eccentricities.

Kouyuu was also infamous as the Under Secretary in the Department of Civil Administration, and the youngest official in history to hold such a high post since the founding of Saiunkou as a nation. His one crippling fault, much worse that his ability to get lost within thirty paces, was his blind devotion to his father. However, Kou Reishin addressed this very forcefully when he abandoned his son to the mercy of the Censorate, making Kouyuu finally choose to follow his heart in his desire to serve the people by fully pledging his loyalty to Ryuuki, and becoming instrumental in his father's dismissal from office.

Even then, Kouyuu's career was not that badly derailed since YuuShun quickly snapped him up as an Aide to the Prime Minister's office, much to the howls of disappointed among the other departments who had once looked enviously upon the Department of Civil Affairs. Furthermore, Reishin Dono's very public gift of a white wolf pup to protect Kouyuu, when he stayed at court after his father returned to the Kou Estates, was evidence enough that Kouyuu was still held in high favour by the Kou Clan. Shiro's presence as Kouyuu's new guard wolf had also seriously curtailed the harassment the man used to get from prospective father in laws hoping to nab him for their daughters.

This was not a man to be pitied.

No, the disconcerting feeling Seiran had seemed to be of a more primal nature. In truth, Seiran did not even develop this feeling until that one day he accidentally chanced upon a private exchange between Ran Shuuei and the Prime Minister's Aide and witnessed Kouyuu unexpectedly flinch quite violently away from the man.

If the surprise on Kouyuu and Shuuei's faces were not absolute, Seiran might have forgotten himself and drawn Kanshou on his appointed subordinate. It was clear enough to Seiran that Kouyuu did not understand why he had flinched away from his best friend.

Still, the incident stirred memories of Seiran's yearlong hell among the Satsujinzoku where he had caught the eye of Meishou, one of the seniors among the bandits. And Seiran steadfastly told himself that he would never wish for Kouyuu to have this ignorance clarified.

Seiran knew that Ran Shuuei had always thought he never liked him. But that was initially because Seiran objected to Shuuei's wavering stance of support to Ryuuki vs. the Ran Clan. When Shuuei returned to court after forcing his brothers to disinherit him and fully pledged himself to Ryuuki, Seiran came to respect and have an understanding with the demoted General and his new subordinate. After this revelation about Kouyuu though, Seiran found himself struggling not to unfairly impose an image of the long dead Meishou upon Shuuei when he looked at him.

Shuuei was nothing like Meishou. The care with which Shuuei respected the limits Kouyuu placed on him told all who observed them that he loved the difficult man. Seiran remembered too how Shuuei quietly and attentively nursed Kouyuu through the long weeks of his coma when Reishin dono seemingly abandoned him after his arrest by the Censorate. Shuuei's devotion and love was unquestionable. Seiran knew that the man would sooner cut off his own arm than raise a hand to hurt Kouyuu.

Meishou was nothing like the former general. In the nights which followed that brief glimpse and understanding of Kouyuu's life before Kou Reishin took him in, Seiran relived his time with the Satsujinzoku in his nightmares. He remembered Meishou's cruelty; remembered the many nights he lay beaten and humiliated beneath the grunting man who forcefully took pleasure with his weaker body. He remembered the man's foul breath in his face and the unwanted tongue forced into his mouth. He remembered the pain of rude violation and despair.

Ensei was far too perceptive of Seiran's moods and feelings than he cared to admit. However, Seiran could not help but count his blessings for having this friend as Ensei also correctly read the cause of his nightmares. And so, shrouded in a serious discussion on the security of the higher courts and the defences surrounding the Emperor, the Prime Minister and his Aide, Ensei offered to teach Kouyuu how to defend himself barehanded.

Kouyuu had paled at the idea of carrying a blade despite Shuuei's offer to teach him sword work. However, the suggestion of learning to defend himself barehanded appealed to him. Furthermore, Ensei won over Shuuei too with his argument that as the Prime Minister's Aide, and the man's last line of defence, he would be immediately underestimated by attackers if he did not brandish a blade, and that he need only know how to defend them long enough for help to arrive. It was a logical line of reasoning which Kouyuu readily agreed to.

With Kouyuu's steady mastery of the art of barehanded defence under Ensei's patient tutoring, the frequency of Seiran's nightmares declined and eventually stopped. The distance which had sprung up between Seiran and Shuuei also dissipated without the other man any wiser as to why the barrier had appeared and just as suddenly disappeared.

It was only then that Seiran identified this strange feeling within him for the Prime Minister's Aide. It was feelings that he readily and easily gave into for Shuurei and Ryuuki, to shelter and defend them from any who might cause them harm.

However, Li Kouyuu did not need this from him. He had enough protectors in the form of his father, Ran Shuuei and the recently added white wolf, Shiro. He did not need Seiran the way Shuurei and Ryuuki needed him. So Seiran had to learn to let this feeling go, and to trust in the protectors that Kouyuu already had.

Kouyuu was not like him, who had to learn to protect himself. And who was eventually allowed by fate to take revenge on the man who had hurt him when he was younger. But Meishou's death did not make the hurt go away, and it was not something Seiran could justifiably take out on Shuuei on Kouyuu's behalf. It was unfair to Shuuei, and Kouyuu would not thank him for it.

A feeling Seiran could only identify as sorrow came over him when he realised that he had no place as Kouyuu's protector. Seiran did not like this feeling and he wondered if Reishin dono had felt the same when he learnt that Kouyuu wrote the petition asking for Reishin's dismissal from the Department of Civil Affairs.

He wondered if Reishin's feelings of pride for his son's act of independence were enough to cover the ache of having his son leaving his nest of protection. And Seiran also wondered if he could be as strong when it eventually came time for Shuurei and Ryuuki to leave the arms of his protection too.

owari

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	16. Secret Summer Furores

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale.

* * *

**Secret Summer Furores**  
By firewolf  
June 2008

"SHIRO!" The exasperated yell of the Prime Minister's Aide fairly reverberated across the palace grounds.

Ryuuki bit down a chuckle as he leaned out his window to gaze upon what had recently become a fairly common scene at the court since the hot summer months began; Kouyuu glaring at his mud encrusted and no longer pristine white wolf who sat panting in the shallow waters of the emperor's koi pond.

The guard wolf which Kou Reishin gave his son was normally the very picture of obedience. However, Shiro was still a puppy and her youth sometimes won out over her training. This was most evident ever since the stifling heat of summer started to overwhelm them.

If Kouyuu was acting true to form, he'd be fully engaged in giving his wolf a bath to restore her fur to its usual snow white lustre for the next hour or so. Honestly, Ryuuki thought Kouyuu should have caught on by now that Shiro loved being fussed over by her master, and that these baths were more treats and rewards than a punishment. It was a no wonder she never listened to his scolding and took every opportunity to jump into a muddy pond whenever she felt he hadn't paid her enough attention lately.

Ryuuki thought nothing more of the matter and returned to his office, ostensibly to tackle his paperwork again, but more likely to take the opportunity to goof off by penning yet another unsent love letter to Shuurei. He was all ready to start thinking of a new bit of prose for Shuurei when Jyuusan hime came hurrying into his office with a worried frown on her face.

"Ryuuki, I need you to follow me." Taking in her serious expression, and since he did like any excuse to avoid work when he could, Ryuuki nodded to her.

He habitually reached for his sword, but she stopped him from picking it up. "It's only a short way from here and within the grounds of the harem. It'll be sufficient that I'm carrying a blade." Ryuuki gave her a curious look but shrugged and followed anyway, wondering what she was up to.

"You do know that Kouyuu has been using one of the harem's bathing pools to bathe Shiro, right?"

Ryuuki nodded. "If it's objectionable--"

"Oh, no, no, no. The maids and I enjoy their company." Ryuuki thought she sounded a wee bit too innocent and raised an eyebrow at her.

She smiled impishly at him. "We had him use the South eastern waterfall pools." He caught on immediately.

With her nose inundated with the smell of soap and water, and a small waterfall filling her ears with sound, Shiro would be arguably blind to her surroundings. It created a perfect opportunity for the harem to sneak closer to spy on the pair.

"I suppose the kawai-factor of watching Kouyuu with his wolf pup prompted that pool's designation?" Ryuuki smiled at Jyuusan hime conspiratorially. "It does have a lovely little 'viewing gallery which you're not supposed to know about."

"The ever stuffy Prime Minister's Aide lets down his guard when he thinks he's alone with his wolf. And you can't say that Shiro's not totally adorable when she's actually acting like a puppy instead of his guard wolf." Jyuusan hime told him haughtily. "Besides, she does love playing with water."

Ryuuki winced to be thus reminded of the spring 'incidents', which ended not too long ago. When the spring rains were upon them, the court was often treated to the spectacle of a half grown wolf gambolling out in the rain and pouncing into every puddle she could find. However, Shiro playing in the rain wasn't objectionable. It was after she finished playing that the trouble arose; when she came back in and shook the water off, drenching any poor unfortunates who happened to be nearby.

Ryuuki often wondered if it was deliberate that these poor sods were usually the hopeful father in laws who haunted every opportunity to get near Kouyuu whenever Shiro wasn't around. It seemed to him rather calculated that the wolf pup always returned to Kouyuu in time to shake the water off on these sycophants, and yet missed catching her master, the Prime Minister, or their guards in the deluge.

Come to think of it... Ryuuki could remember Kouyuu complaining to him once that Seiran and Shuuei indulged his guard wolf too much by sending her off to play in the rain. It occurred to Ryuuki then that it seemed like Seiran's wicked kind of humour to teach Shiro this naughty trick, which was akin to Shuuei's teaching Shiro that 'marriage proposal' was one of her command words to attack and chase.

Jyuusan hime's next words pulled Ryuuki out of his contemplation of further conspiracies. "And as the weather got hotter, we also had the opportunity to appreciate some-- other sights."

There was a decidedly wicked gleam in her eye with that statement. And for a moment, Ryuuki was reminded of her half brother Shuuei when he would be mischievously plotting some prank to be played on the annoying courtiers who persistently tried to ambush Kouyuu with their marriage proposals.

Ryuuki sighed as he thought of the sad situation between his twin flowers. Really, Ryuuki thought Shuuei would be much more effective in curbing the harassment on Kouyuu if he'd just work up the courage to directly address and fix the rift between him and Kouyuu. Then they could 'properly' start on the path of falling in love. While the Prime Minister's guards and Shiro normally ensured Kouyuu's many admirers and prospective father in laws kept their distance, Ryuuki also knew they wouldn't have to stay on guard so much once Kouyuu was officially 'off the market.'

Ryuuki noticed immediately when Jyuusan hime suddenly started walking more carefully and quietly. "Why are you taking me along to sneak up on Kouyuu?" He had to ask curiously.

"You'll know soon." She whispered back to him as she guided their Kingdom's Emperor towards the South Eastern pool's little known 'viewing gallery'. Any words Ryuuki might have thought to say was instantly forgotten as his breath was stolen by the vision Jyuusan hime pointed out to him.

In all the time he had known Kouyuu, Ryuuki had never before seen him stripped down to just his undershorts. But there he was in all his pale almost luminescent glory, fully occupied in soaping and scrubbing Shiro who was enjoying the attention of her master, and completely oblivious of any prying eyes.

For a man who spent most of his life in a library or sitting behind a desk, Kouyuu had a remarkably fine body. Of course, some of the man's recent development in musculature could probably be attributed to Ensei's lessons in barehanded defence.

Ryuuki had to swallow hard as he stared, mesmerised by the play of sunlight upon the sheen of water glistening on Kouyuu's skin, accentuated by the occasional bubble floating around the oblivious pair. Then there was the tiny wisp of white cloth hanging precariously on his hips which seemed to turn more translucent the wetter it got. If he was not already very much in love with Kou Shuurei, Ryuuki knew he would have been very tempted.

"Ryuuki!" A hard jab of an elbow in his side reminded him of his companion. "I know it's an-- excellent sight. And the palace maids and I have been enjoying this scene for the last couple of weeks. But I didn't bring you here to ogle too!"

"Wha-?" Ryuuki looked up at Jyuusan hime only to freeze when he noticed the darker shadows hiding among the trees she was grimly staring at. Shadows and shapes which did not look feminine, and which were much closer to their oblivious friend than they were.

"Those shadows started to appear these last few times."

All at once, Ryuuki felt his face heat up in anger and protectiveness for his innocent friend. His hand fell immediately to his hip, but he wasn't carrying Bakuya. Now he understood why Jyuusan hime made him leave his sword behind.

A low growl rumbled from his chest. "I'll get Shuuei--"

"No!" Jyuusan hime interrupted him harshly. "Not now. Aniue isn't ready to see him. Not like this right now."

Ryuuki's eyes widened at her implication, but now that he thought of it, he knew she was right. Shuuei and Kouyuu's friendship was still on shaky ground and struggling to recover from the shock it received when Shuuei stole away from Kiyou without a word to his best friend. Their relationship was currently too fragile for Shuuei to see Kouyuu in this 'light.'

"Then I'll get Seira--"

Jyuusan hime glared at him in disbelief. "You do realize he would draw Kanshou on them, don't you?"

Ryuuki's face went pale as visions of beheaded courtiers and noble men swam in his head at the thought. Seiran could get awfully ruthless when his protective instincts were aroused.

"Ensei it is." Ryuuki laughed weakly

As Ryuuki had expected, Ensei reacted much in the same way when he saw how Kouyuu dressed (or should that be undressed) while bathing his guard wolf. Ensei though, was much quicker in striding stiffly towards the shadows with his staff drawn, effectively causing a mini-stampede of these opportunistic admirers fleeing the scene. While Shiro had spared a glance at the scowling Ensei who was now skulking around the surrounding trees, Kouyuu fortunately remained blissfully unaware of the drama around him.

Thereafter, unknown to the Prime Minister's Aide and most importantly Shuuei and Seiran, Ryuuki would see Ensei unobtrusively following Kouyuu to the Harem grounds whenever he headed there to give Shiro a bath. Still, the summer couldn't end fast enough for Ryuuki's peace of mind.

owari

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	17. Of Trust and Pain

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale

Submitted in Saiun Challenge's Week 4 Prompt. Won Joint 1st place.

* * *

**Of Trust and Pain**  
By firewolf  
June 2008

Kouyuu never understood why he started flinching away from Shuuei. He never used to be so sensitive to his best friend's casual breaching of his personal space.

When he finally found spare time in his busy schedule as the Prime Minister's new Aide, Kouyuu retreated to his palace chambers and left his guard wolf outside his door to ward away all who might interrupt him. Since Shiro always seriously undertook her duties to guard her master, none other than Kou Shouka, her primary trainer, would be able to get by her. And Kouyuu trusted Shouka sama's judgment to come pull him from his retreat if he forgot about time.

Alone with his thoughts, Kouyuu found himself frequently returning to the memory of the night he had saved the life of Shuurei's handmaiden Kourin when she tried to commit suicide. That night, Shuuei had taken Kouyuu's hand in his and had promised him that he would always find him if Kouyuu lost his way.

This memory, however, also evoked the one of Shuuei leaving Kiyou for the Ran province, thus severing the existence of the Emperor's twin flowers. At the time, Kouyuu was kept too busy by his father to dwell on the hurt he felt for Shuuei's abandonment. And later, when the Censorate arrested him for over stepping his authority, he was too caught up in his misery and shock over Reishin's apparent abandonment to think of anything else.

That horrible period ended with Shuuei's eventual return after being disinherited by the Rans, and Kouyuu arranging for his father's dismissal from a job he never wanted to do anyway. But it also marked the restoration of the Emperor's flowers, now fully pledged to him and untainted by clan bias.

Woe it was then, for Kouyuu to realise during this introspection that though he and Shuuei were reunited by Ryuuki's side, he had lost his trust in his best friend. And there was no greater symbol of this than the white wolf his father gifted to him to find and guide Kouyuu to his destinations when he lost his way. For Kouyuu could put his trust in Shiro, knowing that she would never betray him; unlike Shuuei with his broken promises.

Kouyuu mourned the loss of this trust, and though he was proclaimed by some to be a genius of this current era, he hadn't the faintest idea how the bonds of friendship between him and Shuuei could even begin to be repaired. He-- It had hurt, and it still did hurt to think of the broken promise. And Kouyuu was afraid to ever let Shuuei get that close again.

A soft call brought Shiro nosing her head around the door to look in on him. Kouyuu sighed as he gestured for his wolf to stop guarding his door and to enter. It was time for him to set aside his memories of the past and carry on with life in the present.

Shiro didn't immediately come in at his call though. It surprised Kouyuu to see the white wolf duck out again before pushing the door wider with her rump as she started to drag something from outside after her.

* * *

Outside Kouyuu's palace quarters, Shuuei stared disconsolately at Shiro. Though the wolf pup no longer growled at him and would in fact wag her tail in greeting whenever she saw him, she still would not budge and allow him to pass.

It about killed Shuuei that he knew why Kouyuu was so troubled and even understood why the younger man was no longer comfortable with his proximity. And he cursed himself for his thoughtlessness in breaking a promise to his best friend.

He hadn't spared a single thought about Kouyuu when he fled Kiyou to return to the Ran province. His mind had been entirely on the political manoeuvrings of the court and his own uncertain status with the Emperor versus his clan then.

Shuuei only remembered his promise to Kouyuu when he returned to Kiyou with Ryuuki to find out the younger man had been arrested shortly after they all left for the Ran province. Shuuei had been completely stricken to realise how the timing must have made Kouyuu believe he had been abandoned by all his loved ones. And it had distressed them all further when they returned only to watch helplessly as Kouyuu slipped into a coma no one could rouse him from.

Shuuei had never felt more useless in his life to find himself unable to do more for Kouyuu than to sit by his side or just see to his body's physical needs while he lay in a coma. This memory of watching his best friend looking so grey and growing thinner over the weeks of his coma despite Shuuei's best efforts to get sustenance into him would haunt Shuuei to his dying day.

If there was anything which slammed into him the depth of his feelings for his best friend, it was this horrific period. Even so, Shuuei was too afraid to act on his feelings when Kouyuu woke up. For he realized then the great responsibility he would be undertaking if he regained the younger man's trust. Shuuei knew without a doubt if he earned Kouyuu's love and betrayed him a second time, that it would probably break his fragile spirit beyond all repair.

Now though, Shuuei had come to recognise his and Kouyuu's complete misery in their half repaired friendship. However, as much as he was a military genius acknowledged to fast regain his lost rank of General, Shuuei had no idea how to begin a campaign to restore the warmth and trust which once existed between them.

So lost was he in his thoughts, Shuuei didn't notice when Shiro moved to nose open Kouyuu's door and look in on her master. He was even less prepared to have her suddenly grab onto the skirt of his court robes and pull him towards Kouyuu's now open door.

* * *

"Shiro?!" Both men exclaimed simultaneously as Shuuei fairly stumbled through the door with the white wolf's insistent pulling.

Shiro released Shuuei's robes and padded towards Kouyuu, whereupon she grabbed his belt 'lead' in her jaws and pulled him to his feet to within a few meters of the bemused Shuuei. Then, positioned to her satisfaction, the white wolf sat down and looked expectantly from one man to the other.

"I suppose," Shuuei cracked a nervous smile at Kouyuu, "her majesty here has decided we should talk?"

"I--" Kouyuu swallowed, throwing a dubious look at his wolf before facing Shuuei again, "I guess we really should."

Shiro snorted at them drawing the two men to laugh. Perhaps, this was all they really needed to start to clear the air between them... and begin to repair their friendship.

owari

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	18. Guard Duties

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale.

* * *

**Guard Duties**  
By firewolf  
June 2008

Ensei winced at the delighted though muffled squeal coming from the viewing pavilion and let out a long suffering sigh. Kouyuu must have bent over again and made a rather lovely presentation of his ass to Jyuusan Hime and the maids. The former Governor of Sa province immediately pinched himself to clear his mind of the image that thought provoked. Really, the summer couldn't end fast enough for Ensei.

It was stressful for him to discreetly ensure Kouyuu's privacy from more sinister eyes. Any day now, he expected either Shuuei or Seiran to find out about Kouyuu's near nude wolf bathing activities and go homicidal on the persistent few whom Ensei regularly chased off. Not to talk about what either man would say to him in wondering why he never said a word to them about his Emperor appointed duties.

On top of that the delighted squeals and whispers of the girls were really getting on his nerves. Fair is fair, Ensei grumbled, if he was driving off the men then he really should also chase away the women too. But he just couldn't work up the courage to confront Jyuusan Hime.

Still, at the end of the day, Ensei really couldn't blame the Prime Minister's Aide for his predicament. Kouyuu was just being practical; if it had been him and he was sure he wasn't being watched, he'd have gone totally bare. After all, why risk getting his good clothes wet or lug around an extra set of clothes? It was a perfectly sound move to just take off everything and set the clothes aside where they wouldn't get in the way. Fortunately, Kouyuu was a very prudish man or the viewing pavilion would really have been used the way Ryuuki's perverted ancestor had intended, to view a nude bather.

Ensei shuddered at the thought and steadfastly told himself not to dwell on the memory of what he saw. But it was hard! For an administrator who was unused to regular physical activity, Kouyuu had a remarkably fine body. Then again, Ensei also realised he could credit himself for some of that impressive muscle tone since he did start teaching Kouyuu fisticuffs a few months back and was still sparring with the man at least twice a week.

When the Emperor and Jyuusan Hime first showed Ensei their secret assignment for him, he had to admit that he was stunned at the vision Kouyuu unintentionally made of himself while bathing his guard wolf. Even when he tried not to, the former Sa Governor couldn't help but think wistfully of the play of sunlight upon the shimmering mist the small waterfall created around the pale, and near nude aqua-haired scholar.

However, memories of how fuckable the Prime Minister's Aide looked also inevitably evoked thoughts and fears of staring down the business end of Ran Shuuei's blade. Ensei forcefully shook himself from these thoughts and took a moment to make a scan of the surrounding trees again, hoping to see a voyeur to vent his frustrations upon. Not that there were all that many since he started patrolling the area whenever Kouyuu took his wolf to the harem grounds for a bath.

There were still a few persistent perverts, but they always wisely fled before Ensei could get close enough to identify them. Then again there were also the ones who'd boldly approach the viewing pavilion like Kouki, Shuurei's boss, who'd claimed that he was just checking on Ensei to see why Shuurei allowed her assistant to take off so often; and Anju, who Ensei was sure dropped by frequently because he wanted to mess with his mind just as much as he liked 'playing' with Shuurei.

Ensei growled to himself, he just wished Shuuei would get on with it, apologise to his best friend and start making amends already. If everyone knew for sure Kouyuu was off the market and had the former general for a significant other, no one would dare intrude on the man's privacy and Ensei could give up this nearly weekly guard duty.

Honestly! If Shuuei didn't realise he was in love with Kouyuu by now…

During the horrible weeks when Kouyuu had lain in a coma at the prison, the ex-General's care and concern for his comatose friend was all the guards and most of the military men gossiped about. Shuuei's attentiveness in keeping his friend's frail body and bed clothes clean, then later his desperate efforts to feed and get sustenance into a body growing thinner day by day, moved many of the hardened soldiers to tears.

It was difficult not to marvel and feel touched to watch the man as he leaned Kouyuu's limp body upright against his own and spooned a weak broth to pale lips, then patiently wipe away most of the liquid as it dribbled away un-swallowed. It eventually came to a point where Shuuei would take the liquid in his mouth as a means to transfer it into Kouyuu's to force him to swallow the desperately needed nutrients. Ensei was sure that Shuuei gained more respect and admiration from the soldiers for the care and devotion he showed to his best friend during these weeks than in all his previous years of service as their commanding officer.

However, after Kouyuu woke from his coma and was finally released from prison, the blasted man suddenly backed off and didn't allow anyone to tell the aqua-haired scholar the lengths which his best friend had gone to in caring for him. The man was hopeless! It seemed even long after the incident was over, the soldiers were still quietly arguing over what was really between the Emperor's twin flowers.

Ensei had to take his hat off to the soldier who started the betting pool concerning the pair. And it was a pretty generously growing pot too, over whether the pair was really just friends, or soon-to-be-lovers who would finally publicly acknowledge their love. How they managed to keep word of the betting pool from reaching Shuuei's ears, Ensei would never know.

It was an interesting bet. The 'just friends' camp had ample evidence to brandish, after all, Shuuei was quite renowned for being a frequent visitor to the red light district, and he did still visit the Kogarou once every other week if not weekly. Then, there were also the whispered stories of the unrequited crushes Shuuei had. The first one being with his brother's wife, and from whom he first fled the Ran province with a broken heart. Then there was his alleged crush on one of the emperor's ladies in waiting, Shusui. These points seemed to affirm the ex-General's inclination towards the fairer sex.

The 'soon-to-be-lovers' school argued back that the Prime Minister's Aide was thought to be a misogynist. So it was not a stretch to imagine he would find love in another man's arms. Li Dono certainly paid no attention to the many paintings of gorgeous women often cast before him by prospective father in laws.

However, the 'just friends' camp pointed out that Kouyuu had a respectful and friendly relationship with Kou Shuurei and Jyuusan Hime; was remembered to have been kind to the palace handmaiden, Kourin; and had a great affection and deference to his adopted mother, Youri Hime. It could be easily explained that Kouyuu generally didn't like 'other' women because of the harassment from prospective father in laws who wanted to nab him for their daughters because he was recognised as 'The' son of the head of the influential Kou clan and now the Prime Minister's Aide.

Personally, Ensei placed his money with the 'soon-to-be-lovers' camp. But with the way the situation stood between the best friends, Ensei was also quite convinced he'd turn old and grey before Shuuei finally made his move. And it was Shuuei who needed to make the first move.

For all that Ensei didn't really know the two men very well; even he could sense that Shuuei had broken something in Kouyuu. He didn't know when it happened, but there was a very raw guilt in Shuuei's manner around his best friend, and a pain in Kouyuu's eyes whenever he laid eyes on him. Ensei was sure neither man realised how much they revealed to those who looked closely enough. It was quite obvious to their friends that the two men were miserable in their awkward friendship. The former Governor of the Sa province hoped they'd clear this up soon.

* * *

The ringing yell of the Prime Minister's Aide brought Ensei grumbling towards the harem grounds once again, but this time, he was delightedly surprised at the new wrinkle to the usual pattern. He turned to Jyuusan Hime to verify what he saw and was faced by her bemused expression.

"Yes, it appears my pathetic Aniue finally stopped being an idiot." The woman sighed wistfully as they noted the modest way Kouyuu attired himself in a short sleeved white robe which covered his body to mid thigh, a match for Shuuei's own light blue under robes.

Ensei's lips pulled into a grin as he saw Shuuei nonchalantly playing with his sword while letting his gaze sweep meaningfully over their surroundings. He nearly burst out laughing when he heard the ex-general proclaim rather loudly to his best friend that he'd take Shiro for a run through the woods to make sure she was thoroughly dried off once they were done with her bath. If there were any hopeful voyeurs in the woods, they made themselves immediately scarce.

Jyuusan Hime's expression struggled to settle between disappointment and relief as they watched Kouyuu welcome Shuuei to assist him in bathing his wolf with a shy smile. Ensei could understand her conflict. On one hand, the girls had lost the opportunity to ogle a near nude Kouyuu. On the other, the Emperor's twin flowers were finally repairing their broken friendship.

As for Ensei, he was delighted to know he was closer to winning the pot of the betting pool. If they'd just officially hook up before winter, he might even win a tidy little sum with his side bet for guessing the season when they'd acknowledge their relationship. In any case, whatever happened, it just warmed his heart to see the two men relax in each other's presence again.

Ensei chuckled as he turned to Jyuusan Hime. "It looks like your beloved Aniue just killed your fun."

Or at least that's what Ensei initially thought when twin splashes and loud cries brought their attention back to the trio. The wolf pup stood triumphantly over the two thoroughly drenched and soaked to the skin men sitting in the chest high waters.

"SHIRO!"

Ensei almost choked in his effort to control his laughter, while the girls were less restrained though carefully muffled behind their long sleeves. "Oh, I don't know." Jyuusan Hime coughed between stifled snorts of laughter. "It seems Shiro's quite determined to provide us with entertainment."

Ensei was ready to laugh his agreement when the two men stood up. Then he noticed how the wet robes had turned almost translucent and now clung to every curve and crevice of the pair of very fine looking young men.

The muffled squeals of delight from the ladies sent Ensei running. He had already done his duty by Kouyuu in secretly protecting him for much of the summer. Those two were on their own from here on out.

owari

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	19. Perversions, Plots :new chapter:

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale

* * *

**Perversions, Plots, Perils and Politics**  
By firewolf  
November 2008

Shuurei smiled knowingly when she heard Kouyuu's yell reverberating across the palace grounds. Shiro's cool bath and therefore mud seeking habits throughout the summer was well known by the entire court.

Her smile threatened to grow even wider as her assistant let out a long suffering sigh and came to his feet. "Hime-san..."

"Ensei? Which actually are you more concerned about?" Shuurei asked curiously before she'd let him leave. "That *Seiran* becomes aware of those watching Kouyuu sama? Or aware that *you're* watching him?" She gave him a naughty grin.

"Hime-sama!" Ensei flushed bright red at her insinuation.

She gaily waved him off, mercifully letting him leave without answering her question. It was so rare for her to have something she could tease her assistant about she just relished the entire situation.

It was a good thing she thought to ask Jyuusan Hime about the secret assignment she and Ryuuki set for Ensei after her assistant developed a curious habit of disappearing after Kouyuu's yell. Considering the nature of the task, Ryuuki would never have given her a straight answer. And, most importantly, she would never have received an invitation to join the pavilion party.

Her first sight of her nearly nude friend shocked her speechless. But with Jyuusan Hime and the maids whispering naughty observations in her ear, Shuurei got over her shock very quickly and found the harmless fun in this voyeuristic thrill. It was also, for her, a very delightful and enlightening education on the male form.

However, she had to swear everyone to secrecy that Ryuuki would never hear of her participation. It would not do to have Ryuuki find out she spent an afternoon or two with Jyuusan Hime and the maids ogling Kouyuu in all his near nude glory; even if she was aware Ryuuki sometimes sneaked over to watch with them too.

Shuurei didn't believe Ensei ever got over the mortification of having her join the giggling pavilion of Jyuusan Hime and the harem maids spying on the Prime Minister's Aide bathing his wolf. Worse, their boss Kouki had followed him one day and upon returning with Ensei immediately launched into a discussion with Shuurei regarding the beauty of the male form.

Ensei had fled after three minutes. Shuurei on the other hand had steadfastly refused to let Kouki unnerve or embarrass her.

Much to her surprise, she had a rather enjoyable debate with her boss alternately critiquing and praising Kouyuu's attributes with all the emotion of an examination candidate analysing a piece of classical literature or a historical figure. And unexpectedly, she had impressed Kouki with her dispassionate analysis of her friend's physical beauty.

Her boss admitted to her then that he hadn't thought she would be able to talk about her friend in such a clinical and detached manner. Kouki actually praised her for learning to disconnect her feelings with the discourse on hand. It was a very important quality of an officer in the Censorate that they are able to do their analysis and duty without letting personal feelings interfere. And it was a skill he never expected her to master so quickly.

Ensei, on the other hand, disappointed him with his prudishness and clearly displayed embarrassment. However, given the subject matter, Kouki was willing to discount Ensei's loss of nerve.

Shuurei remembered listening with growing amusement as Kouki explained his theory of why it was arguably difficult for men to talk about another man's beauty and attributes. He gave two reasons; one, being a lack of confidence in one's own physicality and sexuality to be able to admire another man's beauty without feeling that they would be incriminating one's self as being attracted to his own sex; two, being attraction to the subject himself or someone of the same sex and not wanting to reveal it.

Kouki postulated that Ensei fled because at some level he was attracted to Kouyuu and wasn't comfortable about the feeling. He then made the observation that Shuurei wasn't sexually attracted to Kouyuu at all. Shuurei shocked herself with her boldness, but the question popped out before she could stop it and she asked Kouki if he was hinting that he was attracted to Kouyuu and wasn't ashamed to reveal it.

This seemed to Shuurei to be the turning point in her relationship with her boss because he was delighted with her direct question. However, he pointedly never answered it. And Kouki did continue to disturb Ensei by occasionally accompanying him on his Kouyuu guarding trips. Shuurei still wasn't sure if he did that just to mess with her assistant's head or because he genuinely liked ogling a near nude Kouyuu. After all, aesthetically, she could understand the attraction.

Shuurei put down her papers as visions of sunlight upon pale glistening skin filled her mind. She sighed dreamily. It was useless to concentrate on anything for a while whenever her mind drifted to thinking of Kouyuu bathing Shiro.

Still, Shuurei also couldn't help but reflect on Ensei and his nervous efforts in keeping his secretive guard duties from being noticed by Kouyuu, as well as Seiran and Shuuei. She thought it understandable with Shuuei. The man was still acting like an idiot around Kouyuu and it wouldn't do to have him see his best friend in this kind of light just yet.

With Seiran... Shuurei remembered TanTan claiming that Seiran was very scary when in a protective mood or mode. How ever many times she had heard this observation though, Shuurei still couldn't imagine Seiran being menacing. However, she also knew there were facets of her oldest friend that he'd never show her, just like he'd never tell her of the history between him and Ensei.

It frustrated her sometimes when she'd slowly find out the secrets her friends used to keep from her before she became an official. Now that she was an officer of the Censorate though, Shuurei thought she was so much happier being spoken to frankly by Shuuei and Kouyuu especially.

Thinking of Kouyuu again, Shuurei had to wonder how mad her hot tempered friend would get if he ever found out about all the tiny harmless little conspiracies they kept from him. It was a good thing for Seiran and Shuuei that Kouyuu was usually too busy with his work as the Prime Minister's Aide to pay too much attention to them with his guard wolf. If not, Spring's 'Operation: Wet Wolf' would probably have never got off the ground.

He may not like the sycophants who dogged his trail, but Kouyuu could still be very stuffy about the idea of deliberately embarrassing the bothersome pests. Seiran and Shuuei had no such compunction, but at least they were clever about it. Shuurei still couldn't work out how they managed to train Shiro to judge her water shaking field so accurately that she'd only catch the pestering, hopeful father-in-laws in the deluge and not the Prime Minister, his Aide, or their guards.

Sometimes though, Shuurei did wonder if Kouyuu was as oblivious as they'd like to think he was. She was quite sure he must have figured out the 'marriage proposal' prank by now.

One thing they never tried to hide from Kouyuu though were the attempts on his life which prompted the offer of a bodyguard in the first place, and later his gift of Shiro from his father. Since Kouyuu's reassignment to the Prime Minister's office, it was not overlooked that Yuushun's power and reach had grown tenfold. It was especially of note that the crippled Department of Civil Affairs was so swamped that of necessity, some work had spilled over to be handed back under the responsibility of the former Under Secretary.

The numerous officials who tried to protest this apparent redistribution and 'consolidation' of power in the Prime Minister's office were cheerfully asked by Yuushun if *they'd* like to be assigned the work given to his Aide. Faced with that public open offer in the Emperor's court, the grumbling officials reluctantly admitted that they didn't have the manpower to take on new duties which required a high learning curve to master. And that Li Kouyuu had both the knowledge and the experience to finish the work quickly and competently. His sense of judgment was even accepted to be unbiased since he had always strictly played no favourites in the Department of Civil Affairs.

It was also acknowledged that Li dono was possibly the only official in court who could be counted on to stand up to the Kou Clan on behalf of the emperor and emerge unscathed. Few would forget how the entire country had practically shut down when an unwary official caused the brief unjust arrest of the head of the Kou clan. That the same thing did not occur when Reishin dono was dismissed was seemingly owed to the fact that his son was the principal agent who had him removed.

This 'ability' did not go unnoticed. And it gave the Prime Minister's office unheard of power in the current era. A power which many among the nobility did not want Ryuuki to have, Shuurei acknowledged grimly. This placed her friend in a very unenviable position of danger in the Emperor's court.

That first attempt to poison her friend had infuriated Shuurei, especially since the manjuu buns which appeared on his table were supposedly from her. Fortunately, Kouyuu was very familiar with her hand writing and noticed the difference immediately.

The shinshi who Kouyuu tasked to dispose of the buns, however, was not as lucky since he disobeyed the order and shared his loot with a couple of friends. Their painful and agonizingly slow deaths were a warning to all not to take the danger Kouyuu was in lightly.

If the situation was not so serious, Shuurei might have been amused at how she and Kouyuu seemed to have exchanged positions. Years ago, when she first entered the Emperor's court, Kouyuu had been one of Shuurei's protectors. She'd never forget that he was the one who first presented her a silver cup. And who later even tried to guard her innocence by keeping from her the knowledge that her maid Kourin was the one poisoning her drinks.

Now though, she had, to Kouyuu's wry amusement, returned the silver cup to him. And she was among those who actively looked out for plots and conspiracies which might bring harm to their friend.

Were they too protective at times? Shuurei could only hope Kouyuu's patience would continue to hold. How ever much they knew it annoyed him to have them hovering, his friends could not help it. Shuurei knew that none of them were ever going to easily get over the horrible six weeks when Kouyuu had lain in a coma growing thinner with each passing day.

During the week before Kouyuu woke up, she had even stood with the guards who were silent witnesses to Shuuei's near frantic efforts to get water and sustenance into his best friend's body. And like many, she had watched with tears rolling down her cheeks, as the ex-General took small sips of broth to patiently push it past Kouyuu's unresponsive lips with his own, then stroked his throat gently to encourage the limp body to swallow the desperately needed liquids and nutrients. Shuurei could never understand why Shuuei persisted in claiming he was not in love with his best friend. From the way he cared for Kouyuu's comatose body during those horrible weeks, the love behind his actions could not have been any clearer.

Shuurei thought that the greatest injury to Kouyuu's friends, however, was during the aftermath of Kouyuu's reawakening and release from prison. At that time, Yuri-Hime insisted on taking Kouyuu 'home'. They could not deny Kouyuu's mother, especially when it was the music of her pipa which eventually led Kouyuu back to consciousness. However, it was objectionable to them that Kouyuu was immediately confined to bed rest at the Kou estates for the next few weeks, and denied any visitors during his convalescence. It seemed to be a move to isolate Kouyuu from the court, which Ryuuki claimed was most likely instigated by his father Kou Reishin.

Shuurei still didn't know what to think of this mysterious middle uncle who was the true head of the Kou clan. She had found herself quite angry with the man who never once visited his adopted son during the long weeks he was imprisoned.

When Kouyuu was in a coma, nearly everyone who knew him visited. Even Hakumei, who had kept his distance when Kouyuu was first arrested, sneaked a visit against his family's wishes. However, Kou Reishin never appeared nor apparently made a move to leave his deserted office.

Then, to have the infuriating man decide to keep Kouyuu at the Kou estates and near unreachable by any of his friends during his convalescence... Shuurei had been beyond furious with her uncle. If Kouyuu had not returned from those long weeks looking a good deal healthier and few pounds heavier, the Kou estates would have received a crowd of Kouyuu's friends with a bone to pick with him. If he did not return to court at all and were packed off to return to the Kou province, Shuurei was sure she would not have been the only one instigated to violence.

Worse, Ran Shuuei had during this long period of separation apparently decided he did not want Kouyuu to hear of the care he took of him and feel obligated to his best friend. Shuurei could recall Seiran muttering darkly to her father and her about clueless ex-Generals wearing blinkers at the end of that first day Kouyuu reported back to 'work' with Ryuuki.

Fortunately, the man himself was too worn out and harassed to pay the silent Shuuei much attention. The Emperor's office was practically inundated with requests from all the other departments in the kingdom asking for Kouyuu's transfer to them. And Kouyuu was at a complete loss of what he wanted to do now that the Department of Civil Affairs was closed to him.

The Prime Minister solved it all rather neatly by taking the pile of petitions from Ryuuki and throwing them out the window before turning to Kouyuu and asking him directly to be his Aide. Shuurei swore that the howls of displeasure from the other departments could be heard for weeks.

She also heard from her father that Kou Reishin was even more upset when he learned of his son's new position. Several months, and many failed assassination attempts later, Shuurei was only now realising that Kouyuu's father was in truth reacting to the danger the Prime Minister Yuushun and Kouyuu his Aide were exposed to by placing themselves as Ryuuki's direct supporters. It made Shuurei perceive this mostly unseen uncle as a deeply complex man.

What bothered her the most, however, was Kouyuu's wry but complete acceptance of the man. Her father had tried to explain it to her once that because of Reishin's rank and power in the clan, he dared not to openly display his likes or dislikes for fear of endangering his loved ones. As such, Kouyuu was in an especially unenviable position since many in the Clan perceived him as an outsider because he was given the name 'Li'. However, Reishin did it to free his son of the chains of obligatory servitude to the Kou Clan.

Yuri Hime further enlightened Shuuei that her husband spent many sleepless nights reading dictionaries and counting brush strokes to select Kouyuu's name. It was not a name picked on a whim, but one carefully chosen with great love and affection. Also Kouyuu had long been given the invitation to be granted the Kou name should he *choose* to ask for it.

Still, it was Kouyuu himself who ultimately convinced Shuuei to set aside her animosity for his father, especially when this ill feeling was felt on his behalf. She had sat in utter amazement as her former teacher mapped out the political ramifications surrounding his own incarceration and explained why his father kept his distance. And it was then that she finally understood the agony Reishin dono must have felt to force himself to stay away in the face of everyone else's perception that he abandoned his son; that this was the only way, the loving father could gift his son with the privilege of choice to decide his own destiny. If Reishin had visited… he would have decided Kouyuu's fate for him and *both* father and son would have been dismissed as officials.

Then there was also the fact that the Kou officials were still in court. And the very public gift of the white wolf Shiro to Kouyuu. Actions which meant Kouyuu was still held in favour by the Kou clan even though he clearly chose to place his loyalty to the Emperor above that to the Clan.

Shuurei wondered if she'd ever get used to and grow to become savvy with the politics of Saiunkoku. The subtleties of the court made her head spin.

Then there was Ran Shuuei... Ever since he'd been disinherited by the Ran Clan, Shuuei had taken to dressing in shades of grey instead of the Ran blue. However, all knew that though his court robes were of a simpler cut, they were no less well made as compared to his previous attire. The whole of Kiyou knew his brothers had commissioned these clothes for him as a very public gesture that though he was disinherited, Shuuei was still their brother and looked upon with favour by the Rans; and just as Kouyuu still occasionally stayed at the Kou's estates at the demand of his mother, Yuri Hime, Shuuei too kept his rooms at the Ran estates at the behest of his half sister, Jyuusan Hime.

Unfortunately, Shuurei also realised that as much as the Kou's apparently still favoured Kouyuu, as did the Ran's Shuuei, the lack of a direct affiliation withheld a certain level of protection and authority to their persons. Furthermore, Shuurei hated the knowledge that her beloved friends' positions as the Emperor's twin flowers was no longer a credit to Emperor Ryuuki since they now lacked both rank in the court and the backing of their respective clans.

Shuurei thought it most unfair when her friends were no different to the people they were before Shuuei's disinheritance and Kouyuu's dismissal as Under Secretary of the Department of Civil Affairs. Unfortunately, her outrage mattered little in the real world of Court politics, where Shuuei was no longer a General, but an ordinary soldier even if he was a rising star in the military; and Kouyuu no longer an Under Secretary, but a simple Aide even if it was to the Prime Minister.

The sound of chuckling drew Shuurei from her gloomy thoughts to look up at Ensei's unexpected early return. "Ensei? Surely Kouyuu sama couldn't have bathed Shiro that quickly."

"Oh, no, no, no. It's just-- Kouyuu doesn't need me to skulk in the shadows anymore." Her scruffy assistant grinned at her. "He's invited a helper to assist him. And I'm probably a few months closer to winning a generous little pot."

Shuurei blinked at him in puzzlement for a moment before she remembered the details of a surreptitious little betting pool she and Ensei had accidentally uncovered amidst the military ranks. Her smile was almost as wide as his as she rejoiced with the good news that Ran Shuuei and Li Kouyuu had finally mended their friendship.

"Well, it's about time!" She declared firmly.

"Too true. I was getting awfully jittery about this guard duty." Ensei pulled at his collar in mock nervousness. "But I've left Kouyuu in good hands. Our former General has very good eyes, and he announced rather loudly that he'd take Shiro for a short run through the woods after her bath to make sure she was nicely dried off.

"Since he was stroking his sword rather prominently when he said that I'm pretty confident there won't be any more problems with voyeurs."

Shuurei laughed with him. "I imagine Kouyuu dono is probably also dressing much more conservatively now."

"You know him well." Ensei let his breath out in long huff.

"Jyuusan and the maids aren't too disappointed, I hope?"

Ensei grinned broadly at her. "Shiro's still offering them entertainment. It seems having two men showering her with attention has made our precious wolf pup much more playful. She'd dumped them both into the water just before I left."

Shuurei cut short her bark of laughter as she eyed him suspiciously for his sudden blush. "You're leaving out something here, Ensei. Come on, what is it?"

"Hime-sama…" Ensei whined petulantly as he rubbed at his eyes. "Shiro dumped them both in the water and they're just wearing *light* under robes."

The significance of his words didn't register immediately. And it took a while, but her imagination suddenly sprang to life and Shuurei blushed furiously as her mind conjured into being images of two very wet biseinen in almost see-through robes, which probably clung to every curve and crevice of their bodies, chasing a white wolf pup around a lake. Seeing her expression, Ensei quickly made himself scarce.

Ooooooohhhhh. Shuurei fanned herself with one of her papers. With that sinful image running through her mind Shuurei knew she wasn't going to get any work done that day.

She decided that the next time Shiro wheedled a bath out of Kouyuu, she'd join Jyuusan and the maids to ogle their two friends. After all, her boss had shown that he quite understood the situation. And if Kouki heard that Shuuei now accompanied Kouyuu, he might even join them.

And who knows? They could possibly meet up with Ryuuki at the pavilion too. Shuurei hoped Shuuei didn't mind too much *this* particular audience joining his sister and the harem maids in their voyeuristic pleasure.

~owari~

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	20. My Master, My Hero

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale  
Submitted for Saiun Challenge's Week 5 Prompt. Word Count: 500 Words

* * *

**My Master, My Hero**  
By firewolf  
June 2008

Shiro had a problem which had been driving her crazy the whole afternoon. If the two leggers were smarter maybe one of them could have helped her, but they were idiots! Really, she sometimes despaired over the obtuseness of her two legged pack mates. And then there was their love for complications.

Take her master and his 'special' one. When they first met, she thought he was a rival. But, it wasn't so. Her master always had ready smiles and kind words for her. With him, however, there was just awkwardness.

It confused her because this two legger was always kind to her master. And he was loads of fun, encouraging her to do all sorts of amusing things. She was especially fond of 'marriage proposal,' it always led to a lot of entertaining shrieking and running around the gardens. Also, as a teacher he was more forgiving than Sensei.

Shiro especially abhorred Sensei's lessons on avoiding stray meat and nice smelling treats which might lie in her path. She would never forget the horrible burning in her mouth when she first started those lessons. However, many months older and wiser now, Shiro understood the importance of the lessons.

The annoying two leggers who regularly harassed her master often tried to tempt her with delicious smelling treats. But she understood they were not to be trusted. She realised it was safe to only accept food and treats from her master, Sensei, and the seven other two leggers who closely associated with her master.

Her master did the same with any mysterious foods which appeared on his table too. And he never offered to feed them to her either. His pockets were always full of safe treats for her anyway.

Back to her master and his 'special' one; the two idiots danced around each other for so long she thought they'd never resolve their difficulties. Fortunately, they took her broad hint the day she pulled them in front of each other and wisely started talking.

Still, as bright as her master and his 'special' one were, it didn't redeem the others for their idiocy in not helping her out when she had a problem.

"Shiro? Why are you whining?" She started at the words and looked up as her master peered over his desk at her.

Ooooo, she hated bothering her master when he was so busy with his papers and smelly ink, however… She gave him a pleading look. He sighed, but reached for her brush anyway.

This was why she worshipped her master. As busy as he was, he would make time to brush her and fuss over her. Plus he always went straight for THE ITCH first before brushing the rest of her.

Shiro lost count of the number of times he so quickly saved her from the misery of an unreachable itch. Master had his dim moments, but she could always count on him to be smart when she really needed him.

He was truly her hero.

owari

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	21. A New Age—a Brighter Legacy

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale

* * *

**A New Age—a Brighter Legacy**  
By firewolf  
November 2008

Shouka shook his head with dismay as he stared at the newly arrived letter from Kurou.

"_I was too young then to understand why you stopped playing, Sho Aniue. But please think of our next generation._

"_I know you had your wife teach Shuurei the Erhu instead of letting her take the Pipa to try and support Rei Aniue and my position in the clan. Still, we are entering a new era with a new Emperor._

"_Kouyuu may not have our name, but he is of our house. He should be taught the Pipa of our Clan."_

Shouka let the letter slip from his fingers as his mind drifted back to the night he last played the Pipa; the night he fulfilled his first mission as a member of the Wolves of the Wind and poisoned his great grandmother, Kou Gyokukan, knowing that with her death he would preserve the existence of their clan.

The great woman had understood and accepted him when he came to her at the assassin's hour of that fateful night. And he played the Pipa for her while she peacefully slipped away into the arms of death. He, who had at age five, been acknowledge by the clan to have inherited the sound of "Pipa-hime", the greatest player of her era, then played no more.

But now, Kurou was asking him to take up the instrument again... To teach Kouyuu...

His nephew had been on his mind a lot lately. Shouka doubted either he or Yuushun would ever forget the day Kouyuu was menaced by pit vipers hidden among his piles of paperwork. If Shiro's insistent barking hadn't aroused Shouka's suspicion to move nearer, he wouldn't have been close enough the sweep the snakes away from Kouyuu before he was bitten.

Shouka had taken care of one snake, striking and killing it with Yuushun's purloined walking stick before it could attack. Kouyuu sufficiently stunned and distracted the other with several well thrown books to allow his young wolf to get close to catch its neck in her jaws and crush it to death.

Yuushun and Kouyuu had covered up for Shouka then. When the guards came crashing into the Prime Minister's office, they found Yuushun holding his blooded walking stick and Kouyuu standing protectively over Shiro who had just dropped the dead snake from her bloody jaws.

Neither Yuushun nor Kouyuu made any comment to Shouka then for the deadly speed he displayed in first knocking the snakes away from Kouyuu, then seizing Yuushun's walking stick and killing one of the snakes. However, Kouyuu came to confront his uncle nearly a month later with his carefully researched report revealing Shouka's identity as the Black Wolf.

Kouyuu had taken the report from Shouka and burned them after his uncle read them. But in that meeting he also asked Shouka to accept him as a student. Shouka had vehemently refused, appalled at the idea of turning his gentle nephew into an assassin. But Kouyuu persisted, stating his determination to learn from his uncle.

"Lost in thought, Shouka dono?" Shouka started guiltily for being surprised as he saw Shou Taishi at the door to his office. The old man entered without waiting for his invitation and familiarly took a seat at his tea table.

Shou Taishi stole a glance at the letter Shouka had left on the table before looking up at him and giving him calculative look. "You need a successor to learn all that you know, old Wolf."

Shouka's blood ran cold as he rose to his feet to loom over the old man. "Do not ever suggest this again, Shou Taishi."

"Ma, Ma." Shou Taishi waved a placating hand at him. "It was a harmless thing to suggest you teach young Li the pipa."

Shouka stared at him suspiciously, wondering if the old man had also somehow heard of the challenge he set for Kouyuu. "You will not approach Kouyuu or try to fill his head with any silly suggestions, Shou Taishi. Or I really will kill you."

"But perhaps I needn't do anything at all." The old man chuckled before reaching into his sleeves to withdraw a slim book. "In any case, you may consider leaving this where a promising student might find it."

Shouka accepted the book with all the caution of handling a viper. He almost dropped it when his cursory glance identified its contents. "You—"

"I would be saddened if knowledge were lost without offering a chance for it to be passed on." Shou Taishi got up to leave. "Will you see to it that someone worthy inherits it?"

Shouka clutched the little book of poisons and antidotes tightly, in two minds of the dangerous nature of this knowledge. He knew he could safely entrust this knowledge to Kouyuu, but did he want to give this responsibility to his innocent nephew.

* * *

Kou Shouka stared in dismay at the twin fans which lay on the table before him. He had never wished failure from someone he cared for before, but clearly the spirits did not heed him.

He knew he really should have known better of the young man looking hopefully at him. Kouyuu had never shirked from a challenge in his life. If he took an interest in something, he studied it to exhaustion until he mastered the subject. It was this single minded determination and desire for knowledge which ensured he graduated as Jorgen at the tender age of 16, when Reishin finally allowed the boy to take the national exams.

Shouka picked up one of the foot long fans and gave it an experimental twirl. Yes, as he suspected, it was perfectly balanced. One would hardly notice the additional weight of the almost imperceptible steel blades slid into the tips of the bamboo frames awaiting release by a cleverly hidden switch.

He opened the blades of the fan to examine the workmanship. The woodwork was exquisite in detail. The dark outline of a character painted across the midnight green silk surprised him though.

"Kou?" Shouka looked up at his nephew. "It is not the same character as our family name, or even your name, Kouyuu."

"Yes, Shouka sama. This 'Kou' (光) is for 'Light', because in this accomplishment—" Kouyuu gestured to the combat fans, "I am not asking you to teach me to be an assassin. We both know I could never deliberately take another life."

"Yes." Kouyuu's words reminded Shouka of how the younger man had discovered his secret. "But you can and will do all you can to defend the ones you love."

And learning barehanded defense from Ensei was apparently not enough for Kouyuu. He wanted to learn to use a weapon, but he didn't want Ensei, Shuuei, or Seiran to know. Shouka sympathetically recognized Kouyuu's awkwardness with the, at times, over protective nature of the three men. Still he couldn't overcome his own abhorrence to 'sully' Kouyuu's hands with weapons.

Shouka had thought to put Kouyuu off by demanding he make his own weapons. Now that he was faced with Kouyuu's chosen weapons though...

"This is truly what you wish, Kouyuu?" He asked quietly.

The younger man nodded firmly. "No one would question why *I* would wish to start carrying a fan."

That was very true given it was Kou Reishin's favorite accessory. It would be easily taken as an influence on his son. But for *him* to teach his nephew to fight...

"Shouka sama." Kouyuu knelt at his uncle's side. "This is a different age and Ryuuki is not his father. You can set your days as an assassin aside."

"You—truly think so, Kouyuu?"

Kouyuu nodded solemnly. "You know how an assassin thinks, so teach me how to be a *defender*, Shouka sama. Teach me all that you can so that assassins cannot harm our loved ones when we stand between them."

"A defender..." Shouka repeated Kouyuu's words in wonder. "One who preserves life..." The opponent—of an assassin.

"A defender trained by the Black Wolf." Kouyuu added softly.

Such a man would be a formidable opponent to any assassin. However—Shouka raised his eyes to meet Kouyuu's. "Kouyuu, you know that physically—"

"I could not hope to stand for long against a determined and trained fighter." Kouyuu finished for him. "But as Ensei has suggested, I need not fight to win. But must learn enough to defend, delay, and create opportunities to flee.

"I understand this. I believe though, my mastery can lie in different areas."

Shouka thought of the skills and tools of an assassin which were more knowledge based such as alchemy—poisons and their antidotes. A field he had not managed to master as well as Shou Taishi. However—if he were to let a man of Kouyuu's talents tackle the subject and give him the book the old man left in his possession...

"I am no easy task master—'Kou'."

Kouyuu's lips pulled into delighted though determined grin. "You know I thrive on challenge, Sensei."

Shouka smiled to have this 'light' join his Wolves of the Wind and with it mark a new era of their and the Black Wolf's history. And 'yes', he would teach his young successor the pipa as his little brother had asked of him.

~owari~

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


	22. Choices and Acceptance

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.  
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale

* * *

**Choices and Acceptance**  
By firewolf  
November 2008

Kouyuu thought that perhaps he should have been more thrilled to have his father so quickly at his side during this crisis. After all, Reishin was a completely undemonstrative man, and he had never made such a huge public display of his affection and concern for his adopted son before.

It wasn't as if Ryuuki sent word to the Kou estates that Kouyuu was injured or poisoned. The crisis which gripped the palace concerned the disappearance of Ran Shuuei after his investigative patrol was attacked. It had only been vaguely hinted that Kouyuu had retreated to his chambers when Shuuei remained missing nearly a day after the ambush.

Yet here stood Kou Reishin in Kouyuu's palace chambers on the same evening his son was rumoured to have taken to his bed. This was evidence enough that Reishin must have left the Kou Estates the same day Ran Shuuei was attacked.

"I know it was not you, who sent the assassins." Kouyuu finally spoke when he turned to face his father.

The relief in Reishin's eyes would only be discernable by someone who knew him well. Ironically, Kouyuu was to number among these few only after his father left Kiyou.

"As much as you dislike Ran Shuuei and abhore the triad created by the Emperor and his twin flowers, the Kou Clan would never so openly invite war with the Rans."

"You are astute, as befitting the Prime Minister's Aide."

As much as he loved the man, Kouyuu refused to make it any easier on his father. Instead he let Reishin sweep his eyes over his current attire which looked far different from the loose bed clothes worn by the infirmed, but which were close fitting and designed for unrestricted and swift movement. Clothes made not of the fine silks and satins of court attire, but the cotton and leather of a soldier. It was a garment hued in shades of the forest at night. And topping off the entire look was a long silkly black wig reaching down the middle of his back with a dark blue head band that kept the strands off his face and a chin strap which ensured it stayed on his head. This man looked nothing like the Prime Minister's Aide.

Kouyuu could see Reishin's lips quiver in the urge to speak, but he knew the man would hold his tongue. For the entire time Kouyuu was with him, Reishin had constantly tried to make Kouyuu understand that his destiny was of his own choosing. And that Reishin himself ensured Kouyuu had the complete freedom to select his path in life. As much as he clearly disagreed with Kouyuu's decisions now, he would never oppose it. And Kouyuu loved the man all the more for this.

A knock on the door frame interrupted their tensed silence and a grey wolf preceded Kou Shouka's arrival. "She's ready."

Kouyuu smiled as he petted his no longer prestine white wolf. Shiro was as eager to set off as he was. Who knew what kind of trouble Shuuei had gotten himself into?

"Aniue..." The raw betrayal in Reishin's gaze was unmistakable yet Shouka matched his younger brother's gaze evenly.

"It was better that I take him in and teach him, or he would have learned on his own without any guidance." Shouka turned his gaze to his aqua haired apprentice. "Even so, your son has surpassed his teacher in the realm of poisons and their antidotes."

"Kouyuu." Reishin turned to address his son at last. "I did not wish you to touch the darkness."

The younger man shook his head in gentle denial. "I remember my true history, father. And you raised me above that sordid darkness."

Only Shouka knew his brother enough to notice Reishin's hand tighten over his ever present fan for the first time Kouyuu ever addressed him as 'father' in front of another person. Kouyuu never had the confidence to do so before, but the younger man had matured and grown since Reishin left the capital.

"I am not an assassin, father." Kouyuu rose from his wolf to approach and take Reishin's hand. "Shouka sama never tried to lead me down that path. My weapons are laced with drugs that bring sleep, not death."

"You should know your son well enough to realize he could never be an aggressor, Reishin." Shouka teased his younger brother lightly to try and ease the tension. "But he is tenacious in his defensive arts."

"Aniue..." Reishin's hands tightened over Kouyuu's. "But to fight--"

"Shouka sama would not teach me until I proved I could make and care for my own weapons." Kouyuu released Reishin's hands to draw out his twin bamboo fans and a few darts.

Reishin suddenly remembered then that the Prime Minister's Aide was observed to have started carrying a fan tucked into his belt several months ago. His hands trembled slightly as he picked up one of Kouyuu's offered fans and a dart. They looked plain and painfully unadorned of any decorations. However, much like the way Kouyuu made dim sum, the workmanship was without fault and the balance perfect.

He opened the blades of the fan and almost dropped it when he saw the character 'Kou' painted almost imperceptably over the midnight green silk. 光 'Light...' Reishin wondered then if the ones who first named Kouyuu used this character for his name.

Reishin returned the weapons and took a long measuring look at his son; this young man who had a confidence in him that Reishin had never seen before. He had to chuckle to himself.

"I-- find myself half wishing to find you abed as I had first expected." He began slowly. "But I also cannot say I am disappointed that you are actively taking action instead of passively waiting."

"Even if it is because of Ran Shuuei?" Kouyuu smirked.

"Even so." Reishin let out a long suffering sigh.

"You feared his excesses and see my childhood slavers in him, father, but he is not them." Kouyuu told him gently as he took Reishin's hands in his again. "He is my light against my dark moods. And he is my love who protects me from my memories. He completes me, father. And I cannot lose him."

Reishin's hands tightened over Kouyuu's at this statement. "He means that much to you?"

Kouyuu nodded solemnly.

"Then you best swiftly bring your wayward Ran home, my son."

Shiro pulled on Kouyuu's belt lead, eager too to be off. Reishin looked regrettable at the soot stained white wolf which he had given to his son, hoping to 'wean' him off his 'dependence' on Ran Shuuei. Perhaps it worked too well since her presence had also bolstered Kouyuu's confidence to strive to be the recently restored Shogun's equal.

Kouyuu released his father's hands and took a step back before bowing to Reishin. "I thank you, father. For the freedom you gave me to choose my own path in life; and for your love and strength in acceptance of these choices."

These simple statements were almost Reishin's undoing as his heart fairly bust with pride for his son. "You-- know that if you wished the Kou name, I would give it to you."

"I know." Kouyuu smiled at him in assurance. "But as you intended, I have far more freedom without it, while I also still remain the recognized son of the Clan's head.

"A masterful move, father, which I am finally mature enough to understand and appreciate."

Reishin inclined his head in acceptance of the praise for his acknowledged deeds.

The grey stained white wolf tugged on Kouyuu's belt again, drawing a resigned smile to Reishin's lips. "Go find your Ran, my son. I will protect your alibi."

And Reishin was suddenly alone in his son's bedroom, staring at an empty bed where he had originally expected to find his son pinning away in grief and fear for Ran Shuuei's disappearance; a charade he realised he had to maintain for his son's safety.

"You took that much better than I expected."

Reishin whirled around to confront the Prime Minister. "You knew this too, Yuushun?

"Aniue, you... How many others?!"

Yuushun shook his head as he took a chair. "Shou Taishi, since the Wolves of the Wind are his creatures. But not the emperor, not our secret prince-- not Ensei who teaches him barehanded defensive arts-- not even the Ran boy himself knew. Kouyuu was always discrete with his skills and lessons."

Yuushun paused while he studied old friend before speaking again. "My wife..."

"She--"

"Kouyuu approached her in confidence for materials and assistance in making his chosen weapons." Yuushun interrupted him. "Sai Rin is an inventor, so the challenge intrigued her. But do not doubt Kouyuu made his weapons with his own hands.

"Reishin, do you want to know why Kouyuu started on this path? What prompted him to consider taking up a weapon?"

By now just numbed with all the revealations slammed before him since his arrival in Kiyou, Reishin could only shake his head. "You've heard of the incident of the pit vipers hidden among your son's papers?"

Reishin frowned at the memory of that frightful report. "Yes, you killed one and Kouyuu distracted the other by throwing books at it until Shiro could get close enough to catch and kill the second snake."

"That wasn't exactly how it happened. Your Aniue was with us." Reishin's eyes went wide, understanding what Yuushun hadn't said. "Kouyuu was upset with himself. He froze when the snakes first manaced him. If Shouka dono wasn't near enough to sweep them aside, he would have been bitten."

Reishin's face went pale at the thought of his son's close call. "Kouyuu..."

"Ensei had been teaching Kouyuu barehanded fisticuffs, but it only fully registered to Kouyuu that day the position he accepted as my Aide." Yuushun lifted his cane to tap his leg ruefully. "I am pretty useless in a fight. So *he* is our last line of defense if our guards aren't near."

Reishin started to open his mouth to speak, but Yuushun cut him off before he could utter a word. "Do not ask me to leave this job, Reishin. I've told you before, I will not. And you know that Kouyuu will not either, that is why you never tried to ask him."

Reishin fell silent and closed his eyes. "I just want to keep him safe."

"And he *is* far safer now, my old friend. With the Black Wolf's training, Kouyuu will not freeze when faced with danger again and can even defend himself now.

"Kouyuu isn't an assassin, Reishin." Yuushun told him gently. "Neither your brother nor I would do that to you. Besides, he hasn't the temperament for it."

The Prime Minister looked his old friend in the eye. "But he is an able covert protector of the higher court, and a Master of poisons and antidotes whom even Shou Taishi respects."

"It is the path he's chosen for himself." Reishin told himself weakly as he sat on the empty bed, finally overcome by the many revelations.

"He has grown, Reishin. You must be very proud of your son."

"Yes, Yuushun. Yes, I am."

~owari~

* * *

Thanks for reading.  
Cheers, firewolf


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